New Orleans Saints wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith (10) is all smiles after catching a 38 yard pass from Brees during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith said some of the team’s equipment and training staff guys with LSU ties have been making jokes with him about the upcoming Fiesta Bowl.

Smith, of course, went to Central Florida, and his Knights (12-0) will try to finish a second-straight undefeated season in the bowl game against the Tigers (9-3) on Jan. 1 in Glendale, Ariz.

“I like our chances,” Smith said Thursday.

Smith, a rookie with the Saints, was UCF’s leading receiver during last year’s 13-0 season. After beating Auburn in the Peach Bowl, UCF finished the year ranked sixth, but the Knights claimed to be national champions and held a parade in Orlando as they were the only remaining undefeated team in the FBS.

UCF this year is ranked eighth heading into the bowl season, but three of the teams in the College Football Playoff — No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Notre Dame — are also undefeated, which could make it harder for the Knights to make some claim of being national champs.

Meanwhile, Smith is nervous that college football analysts or LSU fans might make excuses if UCF wins.

“It’s a good team, but even if we beat them, they’re still not going to give the respect to UCF,” Smith said. “It’s going to be some kind of excuse some way. ‘Oh, they weren’t ready to play. Oh, our best guys didn’t play.’ It’s going be some kind of excuse why UCF won. I see it already.”

Smith recalls last year similar excuses following UCF’s win over Auburn, largely centering on Auburn not giving its all because it expected to be in the playoff before losing to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.

LSU enters the game with the built-in excuses of cornerbacks Greedy Williams and Kristian Fulton missing the game. UCF, though, will rely on backup quarterback Darriel Mack Jr. with starter McKenzie Milton out.

When the two teams square off on New Year’s Day, at least two Saints will be cheering for UCF, Smith and fellow wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Smith said he and Marshall spoke about the matchup on Thursday, and it will surely remain a hot topic for the Saints receivers leading up to the game.

And if the Knights win, Smith said he expects Orlando to do “something big and extravagant” to celebrate, whether it’s another parade or something else.